A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 41. - 1999 (Nyíregyháza, 1999)

Régészet - Kristian Kristiansen: Understanding Bronze Age weapon hoards. Observations from the Zalkod and Vaja hoards, Northeastern Hungary

Kristian Kristiansen 22.218) it had been hammered. This sword had no alteration of blade profile, however it had small edge damage under the hilt, and two incurving resharpening to repair a damage at the middle of the blade. The next longest sword (Fig. 1,5, 3,2 KIMI:N(/I:I 1988. Taf. 19.201 ) also had small edge damage under the hill, but was generally resharpened, so that only two deep lines were left of the blade profile, which had become roof formed. I suggest it to be moderately sharpened. The third and longest sword (Fig. 1,2, 3,3, Ki MINI vi i 1988. Taf. 2 1.21 7) had some attack scars, edge damage from defence on one side and also towards the point on the same side. This sword could have been in recent combat. 1 classify the blade as only slightly sharpened, but it could be more, the original blade profile is difficult to evaluate. All three swords share a general characteristic of a majorit\ of Hungarian swords - the blade is slightly bent, implying that it can only be held and used in one position, otherwise the balance becomes wrong. I he reason for this blade bending is unknown, but could be linked to hammering which bent the blade. The two swords of deposition 2 are in a quite different condition. On both there are heavy edge damages both under the hilt and on the upper part oi' the blade towards the point. The damage is both from a sword blade sliding along the edge, destroying it, and from direct cuts into the edge from a slashing sword. The shorter one (Fig. 1,4, 3.6, Ki MINC/II 1988. Taf. 30.275) also had the rivet whole and the upper wing of the hilt broken o\Y. This was the older sword. moderately to heavily sharpened, as the outer lines o\' the blade profile mostly had disappeared and the profile was somewhat flattened. The longer sword (fig. 1,3. 3,7, Ki MI \c /i i 1988. Taf 35.3 14) was new, with no sharpening, but it was also heavily edge damaged according to the same pattern as the other sword. Both swords had thus been deposited directly after a heavy light. I a ja This hoard consisted of 3 swords (fig. 4), one full hilled and two Hange hilled. It was published several times (J(')SA ki MI \(/i i 1965. I.XVI. I.. Mo/sours 1985. Taf. 208.3-5. KI:MI-:\<YI i 1988.48..Taf. 2 1.21 5. laf. 29.269 and Ki MINC/II 1

991.NT. 131) There is no reliable information on find context, they originate from a private collection, and already Mo/solics suggested that it was a chronologically mixed find (MO/SUIKS 1985.209). ihis question is easily determined by a look at the patina. I he full hilled sword (ki MI xc/i i 1991. Nr.I 3 1), and the short Hange hilled sword (KIMINÍ /i i 1988. Taf. 29,269) both have black-brown patina on bronze from a wet deposition. Fig. 4 Vaja-Ravaszhegy, hoard. The long Hange hilted sword no. 2 does not belong to this deposition 4. kép Vaja-Ravaszhegy, depot-lelet. A 2. számú. hosszú nyélnv újtványos kard nem tartozik egy együttesbe a másik kettővel while the long Hange hilted sword (KIMINC /i i 1988. Taf. 21,215) has classical so called 'T.delpatina'*. dark green patina, from deposition on dry land. This latter sword represents an older type (Kemenczei type A) than the Iwo other swords (kemenczei Hange hilted type C, and kemenczei full hilted type P). kemenczei gives these two types a too early beginning probably due to their false association with the type A sword. Thus, the type (' short sword has a rather narrow hill, which becomes more narrow and with parallel sides from type I), and occurs in Northern Europe from HaA2. The patina determination makes sense, and solves the chronological puzzle. There are visible, unrepaired traces of combat on both flatiüe hilted swords. 1 he older Ion» sword has a 104